


Matsya Nayaya

by Narf



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Episode: s01e20 Matsya Nyaya, Gen, Memories, No Beta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-25
Updated: 2013-04-25
Packaged: 2017-12-09 12:15:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/774080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Narf/pseuds/Narf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reese memories after his latest number. Takes place after Matsya Nayaya.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"The problem of being a bad guy, there is always someone worse" Reese told Finch. He took down Tommy Clay's picture harshly.

Their last number reminded him much of his last mission with the CIA.

But unlike Tommy, they were ordered to kill. Tommy did it for the money; he had a choice from killing his partners.

Kara and he had no choice. They were both ordered to kill each other. They didn't do it for the money; they did it out of loyalty to the CIA, out of orders.

Reese remembered the first time he met Kara.

At first she was harsh at him. She lectured him on starting to drink on the job and being behind enemy lines. When she asked him about Jessica, he denied. He didn't want her to be involved in this. She was safe, out of harm's way. Not with him, he thought. When she showed him the picture at the airport, his heart stopped.

'How did they know?' he thought.

"We know about eh ex-girlfriend." She said, sternly. "Like I said, you never go back".

He looked at the picture once more. He thought it was a good idea to push Jessica away. This was no life for her. If he had asked her to wait for him, she would have been in constant danger because of him.

His thoughts were interrupted when two men came to the room. The three chatted like they were friends. But before he would question them any further, Stanton killed them.

"I need you to dispose of this, and them" she motioned the two men on the floor. "We didn't even question them" he told her. Shocked that such thing had happened right before his eyes.

"We don't have time for question. Only answers" she told him. That's all the time they had for; answers.

"How?" he asked. "Anonymous source," she said, "very reliable. You need to know this was right. So I'll tell you once last time, before it gets complicated: This is right. The threat is real. No teeth, no fingerprints."

She warned him that once he was in, there was no going back. He had no family, no friends. If they saw him, he won't know them. Their lives would be put in danger if he even spoke to them.

So to put them out of harm's way, they made it seem that he was dead. Dead to his family. Dead to his friends. Dead to anyone but _her_.

Jessica.

The one person he couldn't be dead to. Stanton even knew about her, told him to forget about her, to leave her be. But he couldn't. He couldn't because he loved her too much. Loved her too much to be dead to her, when he was dead to everyone, but he was still very much alive.

But now in this job, they would be walking in the dark. So his moments with her will have to be miniscule.

Stanton looked at him once more, and smiled. "I got it" she said, proudly, "You'll be 'Reese'." With that she left him with the task of disposing the bodies.

'Reese' will be his new name. A new name, for a new man with a new life. Reese took his suit jacket, and bowtie off, and unbuttoned his hand cuffs and the top two buttons on shirt.

'Reese' he thought. He kind of like the sound of that.

His memories were interrupted by Finch.

"Get some rest, . I'll call you when the next number comes" he said from behind his monitors.

He looked at Finch. He, unlike the CIA, has not lied to him. True it has been hard to trust the man who was paranoid. But he didn't give him a reason to doubt him. Hell, he even risked his own safety just to get away from Snow, and getting him patched up!

"Alright. See ya, Finch." He left the library, and off to city.


	2. Chapter 2

Reese was on his bed, thinking. He took his suit jacket off, and his white shirt, leaving his only with his undershirt and slacks on.

Finch had giving the rest of the day off with the promise to call if a new number came. He had walked around the city to try clear his mind off. When that turned out to be a failure, he went straight to his apartment.

Reese reached over his nightstand and opened the drawer. Taking out a golden cross with a long golden chain attached to it.

It was a gift from his mother, something he couldn't part with, even when he was ordered to by the CIA. He doesn't wear it anymore, but he still kept it around. Reminding him of the carefree days with his family.

He wonder how his mother was doing. His father? Where they aware that their son is still very much alive and living in New York City? Where _they_ even alive?

He wondered about his brothers and sisters. Where they married? Did they have families? Was he even an 'Uncle' by now?

Back then he thought of the days when they had all planned to have families of their own. Back then when he didn't think about being a soldier. Or being with the CIA, and being nearly killed by the very same agency that 'needed' him.

He lifted the cross to his lips. He let his eyes closed as his thoughts once more drifted to his CIA days. More specifically his last mission with them.

**~POI~**

He was in Morocco when they assigned them their new mission. He was no Kara's partner. Not her pupil anymore. He was there when she specifically asked for him to be her partner. At that moment he was proud of himself. He had heard from the other agents that Stanton was the best. Snow was among them too, but he was more of a last resort.

He should have seen the signs. When Snow asked to speak to him privately, that should have raised a red flag. They were rarely asked to be spoken in private.

"She's been compromised" Snow tells him, "as her partner, you should have noticed." Another red flag.

'How?' Reese thought. 'How could he have missed this?' They usually told each other everything. Sure, they had their secrets (who didn't?), and their CI's, but they have been together for almost 4 years. If she has been compromised he would have noticed.

"Once you killed her, you can have all the free time you want" he promises Reese. Reese just stands there and looks at him. He still can't believe Stanton would be compromised. Reluctantly, he nods to Snow. An order is an order, and Reese is to follow it.

**~POI~**

After arriving to Ordos, they were told to give the phones. Whatever this was could get into their phones, and thus compromising them and the mission. When they were given the neon lights they were sent off to retrieve the package.

Upon arriving, they found nearly everyone dead. When they managed to find one alive, Kara interrogated him, and shot him.

They continued to look around. Everywhere they went, people were dead. Shot on the spot. When they managed to retrieve the package, it only brought more questions than answers. Why would they kill everyone and leave the package? Did they manage to copy its contents and leave? So many questions, so little time they had.

They moved to the top of the building. It was still daylight so they had to wait till nighttime to move out. They sat down; taking turns to look out for any suspicious activity. Not that there was anyone alive out there. But nonetheless, they still kept a lookout.

Once nightfall they started to move. Kara started to throw the neon lights, signaling their recruiting team. Reese stayed behind, thinking on how to do this. He took his gun out and aimed at her back.

He couldn't believe that Kara was compromised. There must be another way. He couldn't do this to his partner. He lowered his gun and looked away.

"Listen, Kara. There something -" before he could finish, Kara turned and shot him. Reese stumbled back, his hand instinctively going to his wound, adding pressure on it.

"Sorry, John" she apologized, "they told me you were compromised. Said it was my job to clean it up." He could sense her regret. But his mind was too busy in dealing with the pain. So the best way to deal with it was laughter.

"What so funny?" she asked. She was confused. How could he stand there, shot in the gut, and still laugh?

He looked at her, amusement in his eyes. "They told me the same thing" he said. "Whoever sent us here, doesn't want us to retrieve the package. You sent them a beacon."

Kara was speechless, how could she not notice. When they heard the plane, she tore her eyes away from him and looked up. Reese took the opportunity to run.

He ran down the stairs and into the open. He ran as fast as he could, as fast as the pain would let him. He doesn't need to run much, just enough to get away from the blast's range.

He barely managed to get at a safe distance, when he heard the plane again. He looked back, only to see the building explode.

His thoughts immediately went to Kara. Did she make it out? Was she alive? He would have to find out later. For now it would be best to presume that she is dead. Just as he would need the CIA think of him as well. Dead.

He needed to get away. As far as possible from the blast. The CIA would look around to see if they had both survived, and he didn't want to be found. For now play dead. If Kara somehow survived the blast then they'll meet again later on.

He continued to move through the trees, expertly leaving no tracks behind. He would look for someone to patch him up. It would be difficult; the CIA has agents nearly everywhere in the world. If one manages to catch a glimpse of him, they would immediately notify their handlers. He would also need to get out of China, ASAP.

But for now get patched up and play dead to the world.

_RING RING_

Reese woke with a start. He looked around only to find himself in his room. He let his head fall back to the pillow. A dream, no, he thought, a memory. Their last number reminded him much of his last mission with the CIA.

_RING RING_

He heard his cell ring once more. He picked it up, knowing who it was on the other end of the line.

"Yeah, Finch?"

" _We have another number, "_

"Alright, I'll be right there." He hung up. He sat on the edge of the bed, and cradled his head on his hands.

He wondered if Kara was still alive. If so, would she hold a grudge on him for leaving her behind? Only time would tell.

For now he had work to do. He had Finch now. And Finch promised him never to lie to him. He was in this, as much as Finch is. Though Finch never promised to never leave him behind, he knew Finch would never do that. They had become more than employee and employer. They had become Partners. Brothers in Arm in this line of work. Finch would never leave him behind like he had done with Kara, or as the CIA had done with them.

'Matsya Nyaya' he thought. Survival of the strongest. He was strong, and therefore he survived.

Matsya Nyaya. The process of eating small fish by the big fish. How ironic. The CIA thought he was a small fish, therefore eaten by the big fish. He would prove them wrong. He may have been a small fish to them. But he was not a weak small fish. This small fish would take down the biggest fish of them all. He would take down Mark Snow.

Matsya Nyaya.


End file.
